battle 1 of 2

noun

ˈba-tᵊl How to pronounce battle (audio)
Definition of battlenext
1
as in fight
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective passing the medical licensing exam was an uphill battle, but she succeeded

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2
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups a battle between rival gangs left two people lying dead on the street

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in field
active fighting during the course of a war soldiers who desperately wanted to forget the horrors that they had witnessed in battle

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4
as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another the chess game was a real battle between two of the world's best players

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battle

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to compete
to engage in a contest the two teams, which have long been archrivals, will battle on the court for the state championship

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2
as in to face
to enter into contest or conflict with the two top-seeded tennis players battled each other for almost three hours

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3
as in to fight
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to oppose
to strive to reduce or eliminate we must battle hunger and poverty wherever they exist

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of battle
Noun
The gambling industry is far more entrenched in Washington and fought major legislative battles before. — Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 This was supposed to be the deepest offensive line Dykes has had and the best since 2022, but there’s no doubt that North Carolina won the battle in the trenches. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
At least 93,000 people have been affected by flash floods on the Nepal-China border, the Red Cross said on Friday, as rescuers battled to reach remote rural areas in the Himalayas. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 Firefighters are continuing to battle the blaze as crews work to strengthen containment lines and protect communities in its path. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for battle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battle
  1. fight
  2. skirmish
  3. field
  4. rivalry
  5. compete
  6. face
  7. combat
  8. oppose
Noun
  • Mayer had some early success with her jab, but Cameron increasingly took control as the fight progressed and landed the cleaner punches before hurting Mayer with a right hand in the eighth round.
    — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Metchie was very much on the bubble of the 53-man roster, and he was outperformed by his peers, even if not by much in this rock-fight of a contest.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of fight
Noun
  • There was a brief skirmish in the end zone after Howell's 2-point conversion run.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Its outcome will be a major milestone in the decades-long political skirmishes over CEQA.
    — Dan Walters, Oc Register, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of skirmish
Noun
  • Min Woo Lee leads the field at the 2026 Tour Championship after one round of play, with a score of -8.
    — Data Skrive, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations, Thailand’s Oscar selection body, chose the film from 51 eligible titles after narrowing the field to eight.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of field
Noun
  • Nattie challenged Jaida Parker to a submission match for Heatwave as their rivalry turned up a notch.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The handlers may represent rival schools, but those rivalries tend to stop at the kennel, pasture or habitat gate, especially when another mascot is sick, retiring or in need of support.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of rivalry
Verb
  • If Woltemade leaves then Wissa, Joe Willock, who is set to stay, and Jacob Ramsey are the obvious candidates to compete to play there.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The series will see 16 people compete head-to-head for a $250,000 cash prize.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of compete
Verb
  • Routliffe and Glasspool will face wild-card pair Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams, while Errani and Vavassori will take on Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev.
    — James Hansen, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • GLP-1s aren’t covered Patients like La Marca are left in a tough spot, qualifying for Part D coverage of a GLP-1 but facing much higher cost sharing.
    — Jackie Fortiér, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of face
Verb
  • And with oil prices showing no sign of returning to pre-Iran war levels this year, pressure is increasing on the Fed to combat that sticky inflation by raising interest rates at its next policy-setting meeting in September.
    — Brian Cheung, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
  • As climate change exacerbates the heat, experts say the negative effects of sizzling classrooms are here to stay, especially in school districts that may not have the resources to combat hotter weather.
    — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of combat
Verb
  • The union has opposed such a window on the belief players would feel forced into subpar contracts.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • With Gaines expected to command significant attention from opposing defenses, FIU will need other playmakers to step up.
    — Alejandro Hernandez, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of oppose

Phrases Containing battle

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battings
battle
battle-ax
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Cite this Entry

“Battle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battle. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on battle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about battle

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